Clasp



s. BUCHSBAUM.

CLASP.

APPLlcATlYoN FILED 00T. 2o, 1919.

Patented Sept.

mus,

Patente Sept. l2, i922.

Anm OFFICE.

SAMUEL BUcIIfsnAuM, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

l CLASP.

" sppiica'uo'n ala OQtQtfmQiSIa semaine. 331,840.

T all 'whom it may *Be v`it known-fthat, SAMUEL BUCHSBAUM vide a device of Jhe character set yforth which "isfsimple, .strong,`durahle"f, easy to manufacture and secure. In "order toy be 'eheaptheremust heya/s few' parts as'possible and, it is,` thereior.efa` further object oi' 'the invention to provide'a simple'cllasp which has the minimumnumber o'fpaits.' The clasp includesbut two members',k onel of `whichis movable onthe other in order to provide the. necessary opening `forv inserting theclaspiiitol theeyelet ofthe object to be `rattached' to the chain; Atfthefpresent time 'itis practically impossibletoprocure onthe market andl in suiiic'ientf quantities the sw'ivelled hooksv which'have Vasa general rule been used at Ithe'endzofwatch 'chains or simil'ar chains. For this rea'soni't is" a further 'objectof the invention to providea clasp which v-will serve all the 'purposes of the usual swivelled hook and `will servethevr'equired purpose In'the drawingsaccompanying this specification lhave ldisclosed one .term of invention, which form is the best-'known to me -at' theV present time.k However,y it is to be understood that =by thislspeciication and 'the accompanying drawings l do ynot intend to "limit myself to? the specific construction ','dis'closedas modifications ofi they yspecific structure'may'lberequiredin themanufacture thereof or may occur tovithose skilled in this" art. The real'nature and scope lof the inventin disclosedfis to be determined rom'gth'ef claims' appended to this specification. In thek drawings where I have 'shwn the preferred' form of my device the same reference characters have beenused to Adesignatey the same parts in 'the several views. In the drawings-y `Fig. l shows'a side view of my clasp connectinga chain toa watch;

fFig. 2 is a side 4view partly in section of the clasp on anenlarged scale and showing the slidable element moved to open position.`

Fig. Sishows a'slidable element removed in order to attach' the' chain tothe clasp; Fig. `4 is affront view of the clas tached l to' va watch ring element in closed position.

Fig. 5 shows a modilied use of my clasp. My improved clasp comprises but two parts,' one of which vis tubular and slides atwith the -sli able upon the other in order to provide the open ingfrnecessary when thevr clasp is inserted through the eyelet of the object to which the chain isr to be attached. The main element'oi my device is formed ysomewhat in the shape of the letter B and comprises a straight portion l0, anda curved portion ll to'which the usual ring 12 at the end ofthe watch chain is attached. Beyond1 ythis curved portion which constitutes in `iact an eyeletffor the reception of the ring l2 there is an inwardly bent portion 13,y which eX- the clasp. `Beyond`the portion 13 there is a' second curvedv "portion 1'4 which in Jfact 'constitutesa hoolr"which is adapted to be tends nearly tothe straight portion '10 of inserted through the/eyelet of the article in question.' Beyond the curved portion 14 there isa second straight portion 15. The member just' de'scribedis usually made of a solid wire bent into the shape shown, but it will be very apparent that it may be made ofv hollow metal, if .sov desired. Furthermore, it is to lbe understood that while I have shown a clasp of a size adapted to be worny atithe end of a watch or other similar .chain `I do not intend to limit my invention to this speciic'use. If the claspis made larger and stronger it may be used in rplace ot the hooks now used on chains of all sorts.

`The second element of my claspconsists of a tubular member lrwhose inside diameter is substantially equal to the outside diameter of the element first described. When the principal element of my clasp is formed the free ends of the straight portions 10 and 15 are spaced apart as shown in the drawings. This provides the opening necessary to permit the curved hook portion 14 to be inserted through the eyelct of the object at hand. The element 16 is longer than the space between the free ends of the straight portions 10 and 15 so that it will bridge the open space between the ends in order to prevent the attached object from escaping between the ends.

The space 17 between the straight portion 10 and the curved portion 13 is less than the thickness of the walls of the tubular element 16. lith this construction it will be apparent that when the element 16 is moved to a position to bridge the free ends of the straight sections 10 and 15 that the straight portion 10 will spring toward the curved portion 13 and will effectively prevent the accidental return of the element 16. It is to be understood, of course, that the metal forming the principal element of the clasp is elastic or resilient so that the straight portion 10 will move or spring toward the curved portion 13 as soon as it is free to do so. The element 16 is prevented from moving further down on the straight portion 15 by reason of the shape or curvature just beyond the portion 15.

The operation of my clasp is as follows:

When it is desired to attach the clasp to the ring of a watch the element 16 is moved along the straight portion 10 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The watch ring can then be inserted through the open space between the free ends of portions 10 and 15 whereupon the member 16 will be moved back to its normal or locking position as shown in Fig. 1.

ln many cases the ring 12 will be a splitring so that when it is desired to attach the clasp to a chain the ring 12 will be sprung open in the usual manner and thereafter closed around the portion 11 of the clasp. 1f the ring 12 is not a split ring then it will be connected to the clasp as follows:

The element 16 will be moved along the portion 10 until its outer end is free of the end of the portion 15. The operator may then spring the element 16 and the straight portion to one side until the element 16 is free to pass beyond the endof the portion 15. rlhe element 16 can then be entirely removed from the straight portion 10 and the ring 12 can be slipped over the portion 10, through the space 17 and onto the curved portion 11 of the clasp. After this the element 16 will be positioned on the straight portion 10 and moved back to its normal or locking position.

From what has been described it will be very apparent that I have devised a neat, simple, strong, and effective clasp which is especially adapted for use on watch or similar chains. There are no complicated parts to get out of order and no springs to weaken. The metal of which the clasp is made is resilient enough to operate in the manner set forth.

In'F-ig. 5 I have shown my clasp used for attaching a fish hook to the line. The line 18 is provided with a loop 19 at its end. through which the portion 11 of my clasp is adapted to extend. The sh hook 20 is provided as is usual with the gut extension 21 which` has at its free end the loop 22 through which the portion 14 of my clasp ma extend. The method of securing the hook to the line is the same as that outlined above. It will be, very apparent that there are no sharp corners projecting `which would catch in the reeds and the clasp is therefore very well adapted for the purpose set forth.

Having thus described my 'invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A clasp of the character described comprising a straight portion, a curved portion j forming an eyelet, a second curved portion spaced from said straight portion, and a hook-shaped portion in combination with a tubular element sl'idable on said straight portion, the space between said straight portion and the second named curved, portion being slightly less. than the thickness of the walls of said tubular element.

2. A clasp of the character described comprising a main element. having a yhook shaped portion, and a. straight portion' aligned with the end of said hook shaped portion, a tubular member slidable on said straightv portion` and adapted to engage said hook shaped portionk to close the opening in said hook and a stop on said main member opposite said straight portion and extending toward said straight portion. to retain said slidable member in hook closing position.

3. A clasp of the character described comprising a main element having a hook shaped' portion, and a straight portion, a tubular member slidable on said straight portion and' adapted to engage said hook shaped portion to closek the opening in said hook and a stop on said mainv member opposite said straight portion to retain said slidable member in hook closing position, said stop and said straight portion cooperating to retainl said slidabl'e memberv in inoperative position when said member is, moved therebetween.

4. A clasp of the character described comprising a main elementI` of resilient ma.- terial having a hooky shaped portion, and a straight portion, a tubular member slidable member vin inoperative position When said member is moved therebetween.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 10 my neme this 17th day of October, A. D.7 1919.

SAMUEL BUCHSBAUM. 

